Necromancer's Delusion-Homebrew

Gaelin & Jinara- the ghosts look amused at Jinara's request and disappear into the rubble.  They return a few moments later and say, "The rubble ends in about 20 feet.  The inner court opens another 10 feet from there and is a wide room." 

Aryn Guidance: 2   (@Aryn- you have a lower DC than Mucor)

Aryn & Mucor-  You set off through the north gate and into the wilderness.  Sporadic rays of sunlight aid in warming your cold trek down the snow covered roads.  There is a bit more traffic now and you pass two caravans heading into the city.  Despite just having left the estate Aryn struggles to recall which path to take and you end up wasting an hour backtracking before asking the third passing caravan for directions.  They point and mention a large house on the western road and that sparks your memory.  Another 30 minutes of travel pass before you arrive at the top of the same hill as before and look out to see the estate in the distance. 

You set off towards it and enter the outer courtyard where you are met by two footmen who assist you in dismounting.  Opening the door you see Anias standing looking curiously at the arrival of more unplanned guests.  Still he does his duty and welcomes you in seeing that you are dressed in such fine clothes.  "Welcome.  How may we be of assistance?" Anias says offering to take your overcoats.  The house is a bit warmer than before, the double hearth fully ablaze now.  Mucor, you would see the crest hanging above each mantle and have a small flashback from your vision.

"Greetings" Mucor replies with a smile as he carefully takes off his jacket and hands it to Anias. The elf would try his hardest to act the part of a noble as he awkwardly wipes his feet on the rug and folds his jacket over a couple times before handing it to the man. "My name is Mucor and this is my partner Aryn. I grew up not far from here as a child...." Mucor pauses a moment as though collecting his thoughts before continuing. "We are in town taking a bit of a break from our work. Together we are revisiting some of the more important places from my childhood. I know it might sound strange but it has been so long since I've been home... back in my home town that is... that it feels like I am rediscovering everything all over again... and I want to share those experiences with her." He says as he motions towards Aryn. "I hope you don't mind us stopping and speaking with the owners of this lovely home... I can still picture her face when I close my eyes... but it is a memory from a long time ago." The elf finishes with a small snort. He quickly rubs his nose and plays it off as though the cold weather is getting to him. 

Aryn is frustrated at how long it takes to get there and at herself for getting lost.  Once inside Aryn clears her throat and allows Anias to take her coat.  "Are the master's of the house in?"  she asks looking at Anias' face to see if he recognizes her at all.

Insight:  28

Gaelin & Jinara-  Gaelin takes a moment to process the information and Valeera follows his instruction changing back into a human.  He casts Dimension door and disappears from sight.  

Gaelin- you reappear in a flash of arcane light and immediately enter complete darkness.  The air is stale and heavy smelling of dust and iron. Still, you don't feel any pain from teleporting to the middle of a stone wall so that's at least a plus.

Aryn & Mucor- Anias bows taking your coats and places them delicately over a tall post with brass hangers while at the same time ringing a bell on a long rope that hangs next to the front door.  He turns back to you with a pleasant smile,  "Ah how nice.  It is a wonderful place to live though a bit nicer in the warmer months.  Mr and Mrs Loramenor are present at this moment.  Shall I call for them both?" he asks.  

Aryn- Anias has no idea you are the visitor from before.  You assume your well executed disguise has worked thus far.

(Apologies for the delay.  Been a busy day.)

"Yes... Please." Mucor would reply. His voice cracking just a tiny bit as he fights back the nervousness and anxiety inside. As the man walks away his eyes move to the crest above the fireplace as his hand moves to meet Aryn's. "This is it.." He says with a deep breath as he gently squeezes her hand. 

Aryn & Mucor- Anias bows and says, "I'll inform them of the arrival of Mucor and Aryn.  " he says then takes his leave of you walking up the large staircase to the upper floor.  A moment later another steward enters the foyer, you assume summoned by the bell, and bows.  "Might I interest you in a refreshment while you wait?" the steward asks.  If you request any beverage or snack, within reason, the steward bows and walks off to the left side of the house exiting through a door that Aryn would know leads to the kitchen.  A few minutes pass before Anias returns with a smile and bow and says, "Mrs Loramenor will meet you momentarily in the lounge.  Please, follow me." he says.  You follow him into the room and find it comfortably arranged taking a seat on the ornate couch.  Another minute passes and the requested refreshments are brought out to you.  Another few minutes pass and Lilyana Loramenor enters the lounge looking a bit more elegant than before and much more cheerful to have more guests.  "Welcome, welcome.  I'm told you are Mucor and Aryn.  Anias said you grew up around here Mucor?"

“Well. Now we have to figure out our way in. Jinara says to Kelly’s and Cedany. 

Jinara will direct either Cedany or kelgos (Not sure which roll) search the area for an possibly maneuverable thru the rubble 

perception - Kelgos w/ aid from Jinara 25 & guidance 1

Investigation - Cedany w/ aid from Jinara 10 & guidance 1

"Yes, my partner Aryn and I are just visiting the area around where I grew up. I remembered your nice looking home from years ago when I was very young... but.. I apologize. I cannot remember your names..." Mucor would say as he looks towards the woman. While talking he is taking notes of every feature on her face.. every wrinkle, every hair, every blemish. He is trying his hardest to memorize her face in case he never sees it again. "I was only here once for a very brief time. I doubt you remember and I looked quite a bit different back then. It was so long ago but this place seems just as nice as I remembered." He would add with a smile. "I actually lived a short distance away from here. I grew up very poor and barley remember my parents. I'd like to think they would be proud of what I have become. With Aryns help and some hard work, I've managed to change my life for the better." He says as he looks from his mother to Aryn. He would then shake his head for a moment before changing the subject. "I do hope you don't mind us stopping in... I was just hoping to share a bit of my past with Aryn here and realized.. I don't really remember as much of it as I thought. I was hoping that maybe we could all talk and get to know eachother a bit and maybe we could all learn a little more about the past." Mucor says with a nervous smile. 

"You have a lovely home Mrs Loramenor.  Will Mr Loramenor be joining us as well?" Aryn adds with genuine curiosity wrapping her hand in the crook of Mucor's arm. 

(@Mucor- I think it's just your mom at the moment.)

oops, edited.

Gaelin casts Light on the end of his staff and says telepathically to the group, "We made it to the other side.  Give me a moment to catch my bearings." and he'll look for the pile of rubble by the entrance.  If he finds it he'll look to Valeera and say, "Do you think you could burn your way through?"

Perception:  18

Aryn & Mucor- Lilyana smiles and says, "Oh really... that is exciting.  My name is Lilyana and I'm afraid Folduin, my husband is in the middle of some important business.  I spoke to him on my way down and he said he sends his regards and asks you apologies for his absence.  He did say if y'all are able to stay for dinner to make an invitation.  I don't know how long you plan on staying.  It's just so nice to have company during such cold weather.  I actually just made a wonderful friend who paid a surprise visit.  Now Mucor, about how long ago was it that you visited us?  I'm sure your parents would be proud, you seem to be doing quite well."

Gaelin- as you cast the spell the light causes you to squint but you quickly recover and look around.  The smooth cut stone ceiling sits 30 feet above your head and tall stone pillars act as supports.  You turn and head towards the entrance finding a large pile of stones.  You question Valeera who studies the stonework above and attempts to melt a bit of the stone with her breath.  The air around you heats rapidly as he fiery breath causes the stones to slowly begin to glow red and you soon begin to cough as the oxygen runs low.  Valeera stops but you do make some progress and figure that with some time you could successfully burn your way through. 

Jinara- Kelgos nimbly climbs the pile of rubble and examines every inch of the pile looking for loose stones and the best starting place.  You hear Gaelin's voice in your minds and he stops for a moment listening closely.  He hears Valeera's breath and holds his hand closer to the stone.  He feels a tinge of warmth and an idea pops in his head.  He rushes out of the  entrance overhang and looks out to the buildings.  "If we can find a sturdy piece of wood or metal to pry some of the rocks free I think we can get in.  It will take some time but if Gaelin and Valeera work on their side and us on our side we might be able to accomplish it in an hour or two."   

 Iris looks over the pile and says, "I might be able to expedite the excavation but it will use a good bit of my energy." She looks to Jinara and says, "I could Disintegrate a large chunk of the rubble but that could cause it to become unstable."

"Iris. Take a look at the layout of the rocks and see if that spell could be targeted in a manner that would case the least instability. Kelgos, Cedany and myself can look for wood/metal that can help mitigate any movement from the spell's impact." Jinara says

(basically, I want to find the place[s] where the least amount of rubble would move. If there is reinforcement that is needed to help minimize movement, that is what the wood/metal would be for. Does that make sense? The rolls below are what I think would be needed but if I am wrong I can reroll)

Cedany will lead the search for wood/metal aided by Jinara who casts guidance. Kelgos will be watch for any creatures approaching

Cedany Investigation = 20 2

Kelgos Perception = 8

"Well.. I think it was probably twenty eight winters ago?" The elf would say as he rubs the back of his neck. "I added a few to the number of winters that i've counted to make up for the ones that happened before I started keeping track of them" He says nervously. "So that might not be quite right." Mucor add with a smile before looking to Aryn and then back to Lilyana. "But I think we would really like to stay for dinner. I know I'm always hungry. It is very kind of you to open your house to us like this. I imagine growing up in a loving home like this would would have been a much different experience than my early years." He says as he stands somewhat awkwardly in his fancy clothes. "My home was actually a short ride away form here. I grew up in the swamp actually.. believe it or not." 

(OOC: Hey Aryn, So I know we are trying to look fancy but are we trying to hide that we are lightbringers from them?)

(Completely up to you.  I'll follow your lead.)

OOC: Mucor is going to tell them. his plan.. just so you know.. is going to hopefully be to make them think that both Mucor and Aryn are amazing.. He wants them to think that  these two super heroes that are just the coolest people ever... and then reveal that he was their son.. hoping that they remember how cool he is from a few minutes earlier and don't hate him anymore.

Iris Intelligence:  29

Cedany Athletics:  17  

Aryn & Mucor- Lilyana’s expression changes slightly at the mention of years and again at growing up in the swamp nearby. The distraction of dining allows her to recover and she leans in and says, “That’s quite interesting.  Just a moment.” She says turning to Anias. “Anias, will you make sure the table is set for our guests?” and turns back to converse while Anias bows and exits the lounge to fulfil his task.  “You said you grew up in the swamp?   With your parents?  I can’t imagine how difficult that must’ve been.  What do you do now?” she asks

A DC 15 Insight check would reveal that she is unaware of who Mucor is despite the obscure hints thus far.  Her change in expression seems to be more from the thought of such a hard life.

Gaelin & Jinara- Cedany is able to find a small sapling that is roughly 8 feet tall about 15 feet from the entrance.  She uses a small handaxe to chop it down and removes the branches.  While Cedany is working Iris examines the pile and picks out a specific spot to cast the spell.  Cedany and Kelgos return and begin to clear the loose stones from the spot Iris indicates using the now 5 foot sapling as a lever.  Iris points her finger and you see a thin pale green line of arcane energy impact into the solidified rubble.  You watch as the stone and dirt quickly begin to dissolve from the centered point where the beam impacted. Within a few seconds the conglomerate dissolves to ash in a cylindrical 10 foot by 10 foot tunnel into the rubble.  The edges glow faintly with arcane energy for a moment then fade.

As you look at the walls of the newly formed tunnel you can see that as time has passed the pressure from the collapsed stone and dirt above has caused the once loose rubble to solidify into a kind of coarse concrete.  Iris places her hand against the stone feeling the texture of the rock and picks up a small rock casting Light on it.  She carries it into the shallow tunnel and examines the wall before placing the stone on the ground and backing up to a place of relative safety.  She points her finger once again and similar to before a thin green beam of energy slams into the rock dissolving away another 10 feet and extending the tunnel.  There's a moment of silence that passes before you hear the small crackle of loose rocks tumbling and you feel a small pressure wave of air escape from the hole in the upper right corner then you catch a glimpse of Gaelin's light from the other side.  

Gaelin- you can just barely hear Iris' casting of Disentigrate the second time and within a few seconds you see a small hole with light behind it open in the pile of rubble.   In an instant, there's a small rush of air from behind you then an backdraft of air as the pressure equalizes.  The new outside air is comforting and though the air is still heavy with dust, there is a tinge of freshness. Through some careful coordination with Valeera, Iris and Cedany you manage to clear a large enough space for two people to crouch through.

A bit dirty but none the worse for wear you all finally step into the keep where the three ghosts greet you.  "Follow us.  We've arranged a meeting."  You see the ethereal creatures hover across the cold stone floor and as the light spreads from Iris and Gaelin's combined spells you can make out the large hallway you are in.  At the end of the hall sits thick iron and wood doors that seem to be very well preserved thanks to the lack of outside air.  The ghosts pass through the open threshold and you follow behind to enter a large great hall.  The air is heavier and mustier here.  You see the partially mummified remains of corpses and petrified wooden tables and chairs. The three ghost halt in the center of the great chamber and turn back to you.  Suddenly a host of ethereal creatures surround you.  Each visage looks different.  You see terrified faces, horrifyingly wretched faces, skeletal faces and face of hatred but there are a few face of contempt and hope.  One such face is that of a well dressed man who is missing his lower torso.  He moves forward towards the group and says, "Ah the explorers.  Do you not know where you are.  This place is cursed, a testament to the corruption of the world.   Why do you seek to disturb the dead?  They say it is for knowledge and retribution.  Who are you to so boldy claim such things?" he says motioning to the three ghosts who guided you here.

(OOC: There might also be a massive guilt trip laid down at some point.. which may or may not be intentional depending on how I want to go with it :D)

Mucor insight 12

"I... only really have one memory of my parents. It was from before I started counting the Winters. I actually grew up alone. It was rough but I was able to pull through." Mucor says as he pauses for a moment and shakes his head with a snort as though trying to block out some of the memories and feelings building inside. "But perhaps it was for the best... because the experience strengthened me... so now believe it or not, Aryn and I are both members of the Lightbringers." He would add with smile. "I wouldn't be the person I am today if it were not for her help. She saw something in me that most people never took the time to see and she has truly made me a better person." The elf would say as he turns from his mother to aryn and gives her a nod. 

(@Gaelin & Jinara- updated post)

Lilyana Insight:  16  (Oh snap, can't beat a mother's intuition.)

Aryn & Mucor- At the sound of your snort Lilyana's face turns pale.  "Alone.  In the swamp...  I'm so sorry to hear that." she says, her face clearly troubled .  She turns her face away for a moment and listens as you continue.  When she turns back you see the tears welling up in her eyes.  "So you are well taken care of now?  And... and you are safe?  What memory of your parents do you have?" she asks as she reaches out and gingerly grabs at your hand.